MOGILEV, 13 May (BelTA) - Once we find a proper approach and mutually beneficial areas of work, the cooperation will benefit both parties, Mogilev Oblast Vice Governor Ruslan Strakhar told the media as the Belarusian region hosted a delegation of Russia's Khabarovsk Territory headed by Governor Mikhail Degtyarev on 13 May, BelTA has learned.
"Belarus and specifically Mogilev Oblast traditionally attach great importance to cooperation with Russian regions. This is quite obvious since we are close geographically and historically," Ruslan Strakhar said. “You trade with your nearest neighbors. Thus, Mogilev Oblast's exports total about $2.6 billion a year, with Russia accounting for over 50% of it. The geography of the partner regions is very wide: Bryansk and Smolensk, Kaluga and so on. Recently we have been paying great attention to cooperation with geographically remote regions. So, once we find a proper approach and mutually beneficial areas of work, the cooperation will benefit both parties. We have already gained a positive experience of cooperation with Primorsky Territory."
According to Ruslan Strakhar, Mogilev Oblast has been put in charge of bilateral cooperation between Belarus and Khabarovsk Territory of Russia. "We did our best to make the program of the visit of the the Khabarovsk Territory governor and the delegation as busy as possible. Our goal was to find new points of interaction. Thus, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a business meeting featuring representatives of 11 enterprises and organizations of the Russian region and 24 commercial organizations of Belarus. It showcased the economic potential of Khabarovsk Territory and Mogilev Oblast. Negotiations showed that the Russian side has a steady interest and demand for our products.”
Belarus is interested in promoting food export to the Russian region and in direct purchases of fish products, bypassing intermediaries. "We intend to seek direct contracts and direct supplies to Khabarovsk Territory," said Ruslan Strakhar. “We are working on the supply of industrial products so that we could set up joint ventures in the future. Khabarovsk Territory is interested in Belarusian machine-building and agricultural machinery. In terms of price/quality ratio our country is the main supplier of these vehicles to the market of the Khabarovsk Territory. We are also interested in increasing the supplies of elevators and offered the guests to visit the Mogilevliftmash elevator manufacturer.
With regard to deepening cooperation, work is currently being carried out at the level of the Industry Ministry of Belarus and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia. "Several working groups have been set up to look into certain areas: machine tool building, mechanical engineering, agricultural engineering. They are establishing joint competencies and specific commodity items which are critical and need to be replaced in the wake the sanctions. Having drawn up such a technological map of opportunities, we will continue to think about joint projects, look for resources and financing. It is very important to understand what competencies we have and where we set up such manufactures."
The agreement between the governments of Belarus and Khabarovsk Territory on cooperation in trade, economy, science, technology, culture and other areas will give a boost to cooperation with the Khabarovsk Territory, which is a strategic region in the Far East. The document was signed in the Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee along with a plan of action to implement this agreement for 2022-2024.
